Enhancing Fabrication Traceability with Industrial Computers

May 30, 2025

With operations nationwide, specialty pipe fabricator Southland Industries at their Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada locations had been struggling with inefficiencies in material handling and shortage of materials, among other problems.

Reliance on consumer-grade tablets for process tracking led to delays, poor data visualization, and limited workflow integration. VarTech Systems provided a specialized industrial computer designed for the performance and environmental requirements of both cleanroom and industrial floor use.

Challenge: Limited Performance and Visualization from Consumer Tablets

In both facilities, the company was using Wi-Fi-enabled tablets to track and display important fabrication process information, but their devices were not designed to withstand industrial conditions.

Connectivity issues, sluggish performance, and poor display clarity impaired the operators’ ability to make real-time decisions and maintain an efficient workflow.

Southland needed a solution that could withstand demanding conditions, integrate with their internal software stack, and eliminate the performance bottlenecks introduced by their current setup.

Solution: 21.5” Touch Industrial PCs with Custom Cleanroom Enclosures

Through technical consultation, VarTech assessed Southland’s application environment, system requirements, and software load to determine the ideal hardware configuration. An Industrial 21.5” LCD/Computer (VTDV4C215bVEA) was selected as the optimal solution.

A combined 25 units went into the two sites (17 for the Phoenix location and an additional 8 in Las Vegas) which included custom white enclosures to comply with cleanroom visual and hygienic standards.

Key specifications of the implemented systems:

  • Intel i7 processors
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 500 GB hard drives
  • Projective capacitive touchscreens with pinch and zoom functionality
  • No keyboard and mouse operation needed

Result: More Efficient Workflows and Increased Throughput

VarTech's industrial computers rapidly led to immediate operational improvements. Southland reported more stable performance, better visibility into fabrication metrics, and smoother software responsiveness.

Barcode scanners interfaced with the VarTech computers to further automate the process and improve throughput during all stages of fabrication.

Making the interface touchscreen-only kept work areas clean, simplified the hardware, and removed potential points of failure such as external peripherals.

Why VarTech?

Southland chose VarTech Systems over other hardware providers due to:

  • Rugged and powerful hardware for industrial use
  • Complete touch screen interface (no keyboard or mouse required)
  • Custom aesthetic (white enclosure) suitable for cleanroom integration
  • System selection based on a consultative approach and real application assessment
  • Reliability in supporting barcode scanning and fabrication tracking processes

VarTech Systems, Inc. is an industry-leading manufacturer of custom industrial and rugged computers, monitors, and workstations. Since 1988, we have provided world-class engineered solutions built to the exact specifications and requirements of our customers' applications.

We design, manufacture, and assemble all our products in Clemmons, North Carolina, USA.

Contact VarTech Systems Inc.

At VarTech Systems, our Project Managers—with an average of 15+ years of industry experience—are ready to customize a computer, monitor, or HMI workstation solution to meet your needs. Drawing from extensive backgrounds in manufacturing, military, oil and gas, and marine applications, they provide expert guidance throughout your project journey.

Please fill out our contact form, call us, or email us and we will connect with you shortly.

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Based in Clemmons, North Carolina, VarTech Systems Inc. engineers and builds custom industrial and rugged computers, monitors, and HMIs.